Asian American Bar Association (AABA) Stands with Immigrants and Demands Family Unity

AABA strongly opposes the Trump Administration’s indefinite detention of immigrant children and parents, demands immediate family reunification, and a halt to aggressive and unnecessary border crossing prosecutions.

Since the Trump administration instituted the so-called ‘zero tolerance‘ policy on border crossings of undocumented migrants, thousands of young children attempting to enter the United States have been forcibly separated from their parents. On June 20, 2018, President Trump signed an Executive Order that claims “to maintain family unity,” but actually directs authorities to detain families together. The Executive Order is inadequate on several fronts: it does not reunite families that have already been separated, and appears to allow for the indefinite detention of families who arrive in the United States with children. Indeed, President Trump seeks to reverse a court settlement (Flores v. Reno) that requires children who come with family to be released from detention within three weeks.

AABA condemns the practice of separating parents from their children without a hearing and in the absence of legal representation. Such a practice is immoral and inhumane. Additionally, AABA strongly opposes any policy to detain families indefinitely at the border.

“Indefinite detention of children and families is a cruel and inhumane immigration policy,” remarks David Tsai, AABA’s President. “As lawyers, we stand by the thousands of undocumented parents, children, and families whose hearts and bonds have been broken by this disastrous and ineffective policy.”

AABA demands an immediate halt to any practices that result in the forcible separation of children from their parents. We demand that authorities reunite broken families as quickly as possible, and end the indefinite detention of families at our border. AABA also recommends that its members and supporters donate to the American Civil Liberties Union and Asian Americans Advancing Justice—Asian Law Caucus, two organizations that are working actively to support affected families.